While many large-scale films and TV series have both subtitled and dubbed versions available for audiences on streaming sites such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, when it comes to smaller projects with tighter budget restrictions, you may be faced to decide between one or the other. If your goal is to localize your film or video so that it is accessible to international markets, knowing your target audience is going to play a significant role in your decision. Both methods have their pros and cons, and the right choice depends on a number of factors, including audience preferences, budget, and the nature of your content. Let’s explore some key considerations to help you choose the best option for your project.
1. On-Screen Text and Forced Narrative
One factor some content producers overlook when deciding between subtitling and dubbing is how much text is already present on the screen. If your video is heavy on graphics, captions, or text-based explanations, adding subtitles might clutter the screen and make it harder for viewers to follow both the visuals and the subtitles. For example, dubbing might be a better fit for explanatory videos such as tutorials. On the other hand, videos based solely on images lend themselves well to subtitling. Although in this last case, you’re also going to want to refer to audience-based factors such as age and preferences, as we’ll see in just a minute.
Another option to consider is forced narrative, which refers to subtitles used selectively for foreign language dialogue or essential information that must be conveyed. For example, in an English-language film featuring a scene with French dialogue, a forced narrative subtitle might translate the French dialogue while leaving the rest of the film unchanged. If your project already employs forced narrative elements, subtitling might be a more seamless choice. Similarly, if there is limited on-screen text that must be translated for the viewer to understand, you can use forced narrative to translate that on-screen text, without it generating a large distraction from the subtitles.
2. Audience Age
The age of your target audience is a crucial factor to keep in mind when choosing between subtitling or dubbing. Young children, particularly those who haven’t learned to read yet, will struggle with subtitles, making dubbing the preferred method for younger audiences. This is why most cartoons and children’s programming are dubbed rather than subtitled.
On the other hand, reading subtitles is usually not an issue for adult audiences. However, personal and cultural preferences may still play a role. See points 3 and 4 below for a discussion of how personal limitations and/or cultural preferences may influence your decision to subtitle or dub your film or video.
3. Physical Limitations of the Audience
If accessibility is an important deciding factor for your project, you may decide to subtitle, dub, or do both considering the following issues. Dubbing and voice-over services translate the text in audio format. This means that they do not cater to the deaf and hard of hearing, who will need to rely on subtitles or captions to understand the dialogue.
Likewise, subtitling leaves the original audio while embedding the written translated text into the image. Therefore, subtitling does not serve blind or visually impaired audiences, who depend on audio cues to follow the content.
While no one wants to leave out any potential audience, if budget restraints are an issue, it’s important to know your target audience and decide which of the two options is the best fit for your viewers. However, if inclusion is a must for you, you may want to reevaluate your budget to accommodate for a more inclusive approach that includes both dubbing and closed captioning options, allowing viewers to choose based on their needs.
4. Cultural Preferences
Cultural habits significantly influence whether audiences prefer dubbed or subtitled content. In fact, some countries have long-standing traditions regarding localized media, which affects viewer expectations.
For example, countries like Germany, France, Italy, and Spain have well-established dubbing industries. Historically, dubbing became common due to government regulations promoting local language use. Today, audiences in these countries expect high-quality dubbing, and many prefer it over subtitles. Similarly, Mexico and Brazil have large media markets and have invested heavily in dubbing. Many viewers in these countries prefer to watch films and TV shows in their native Spanish or Portuguese rather than reading subtitles.
On the other hand, Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland) traditionally subtitle foreign content rather than dub it. This is in part because of strong English-language education and the belief that subtitling preserves the original performances. It is also worth noting that each of these countries speaks a different native language, making for more limited language markets. Since dubbing implies a greater cost than subtitling, it is not often the most profitable method when it comes to smaller audiences.
Similar to Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Portugal are two countries that favor subtitling. Audiences in these countries prefer subtitles because they maintain the authenticity of the original dialogue. At the same time, subtitling gives viewers a chance to improve their foreign language skills.
5. Budget Considerations
As we’ve alluded to several times thus far, cost is a major determining factor when choosing between subtitling and dubbing. Subtitling is generally the more affordable option. It requires translation and synchronization with dialogue, but it avoids the added expense of hiring voice actors and recording studio time. In contrast, dubbing is significantly more expensive. It involves voice casting, script adaptation, and audio production to ensure natural lip-syncing. Because of these costs, dubbing is typically reserved for larger markets where the investment is justified by higher viewership numbers.
For smaller-scale projects or independent filmmakers, subtitling is often the practical choice thanks to its lower cost and faster turnaround time. Major studios and streaming platforms, however, often have the budget to invest in dubbing to maximize accessibility and reach wider audiences.
Final Thoughts: Making the Right Choice
In sum, the choice between subtitling and dubbing depends on several key factors including the nature of your audiovisual content, the age, physical limitations, and preferences of your target audience, and any budget constraints that you face. Ultimately, the decision should align with both your audience and your project’s objectives. By carefully considering all of these factors, you can guarantee that your content will be both accessible and engaging to international viewers.
If you still need help deciding, let Day Translations help you with your choice. Learn more about out our Audiovisual Translation and Localization services and get a quote for your project.
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